JetNation Preseason NFL Power Rankings

[JetNation]

Here are the final preseason Top Ten power rankings:

1. Green Bay Packers – No reason to downgrade the champs as they get multiple players back from injury.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers – the Steelers had a quiet offseason compared to the last few years and should be a major player in the AFC race.
3. New York Jets – the Jets need to find a way to play  a few playoff games at home.
4. New England Patriots – hard to say what the Pats will get from the big-name players they added, but they went 14-2 without them last year, so this is going to be a dangerous team no matter what.
5. Philadelphia Eagles – their ability to protect the quarterback will determine how high the Eagles fly this year.
6. Atlanta Falcons – Julio Jones will help Roddy White, but the running game might be the biggest beneficiary from the added threat on the outside.
7. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens will be solid again, but it looks like they’re still a step off the pace of the elite AFC teams.
8. New Orleans Saints – The Saints are probably the least talked about NFC contender.  If they pay more attention to effectively running the ball, they will become fashionable again.
9. San Diego Chargers – the Bolts start out with three home games in the first four weeks.  They need to play well in September for a change.  There are no excuses.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – A quick start is possible as five out their first seven games are in Tampa. The Bucs have to do better than 4-4 at home this year.

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[JiF]

No power ranking is legitimate if it doesnt have the Pats at the top. Therefore, I dont not read.

[Barcs]

At least the Jets are ranked over the Pats for once. Tampa Bay at #10, though? No way. I see the Lions and even Cowboys having a better season than them. If Manning doesn't miss more than a game or 2 the colts will be better as well. What about the Bears? They are way better than Bucs. Freeman's a decent QB and all, but the Bucs had an easy schedule last year. Don't expect that to happen again.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Barcs

[The Crusher]

No Miami in the top ten. When will the blind homerism stop?

[#27TheDominator]

At least the Jets are ranked over the Pats for once. Tampa Bay at #10, though? No way. I see the Lions and even Cowboys having a better season than them. If Manning doesn't miss more than a game or 2 the colts will be better as well. What about the Bears? They are way better than Bucs. Freeman's a decent QB and all, but the Bucs had an easy schedule last year. Don't expect that to happen again.

Actually, this ranking seems to be taking that into consideration. The Chargers and Bucs are there partially because they have their home games front loaded.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Steelers are best team in the league right now ahead of Green Bay.

And JETS are top 10 but definitely not Top 5.

[Vicious89x]

Steelers are best team in the league right now ahead of Green Bay.

And JETS are top 10 but definitely not Top 5.

OMG, no exclamation points.

Seriously though, I love college football. So if the Jets beat the Cowboys does that bump us up or down?

[Thor99]

Therefore, I dont not read.

Guess what else you don't do.

[THE ILK]

Where is the AFL/Big Brother rankings???

[JiF]

Guess what else you don't do.

Dont be mean, I type fast.

<3 u

[Thor99]

Dont be mean, I type fast.

<3 u

You're not a newbie anymore, I'm allowed to be mean.

[JiF]

You're not a newbie anymore, I'm allowed to be mean.

Being a newbie mattered?

[Thor99]

Being a newbie mattered?

Max has put forth a new edict: Be kind to newbies.

[JiF]

Max has put forth a new edict: Be kind to newbies.

Max is the only person that I listen to on this planet. Nice to newbies it is!

[Maxman]

Max is the only person that I listen to on this planet. Nice to newbies it is!

LOL, you are crazy.

[slats]

Here's PFT's version, because lists are easily digestible reading...

Week Zero power rankings

Posted by Mike Florio on September 6, 2011, 10:51 PM EDT

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[Editor's note: This is a snapshot as to where each team stands entering Week One, not necessarily a prediction of how they'll finish.]

1. Packers: Sure, they barely made the playoffs. But they won the games that mattered most. They’ll stay atop the mountain until someone knocks them off.

2. Saints: They could be that someone.

3. Chargers: If they can get off to a fast start, they could finally have a special finish.

4. Falcons: Atlanta’s motto for 2011 — “if you can’t beat ‘em, try to outscore ‘em” — could result in an Arena League outcome when the Falcons face the Packers.

5. Steelers: After three prior Super Bowl trips since 1995, the Steelers have missed the playoffs the next year. So maybe they should be a lot lower than this.

6. Jets: If Mark Sanchez can play in the regular season like he plays in the postseason, the Jets will be No. 1 before too long.

7. Patriots: The team that hasn’t won a postseason game since 2007 needs to save a few of those regular-season victories for January.

8. Ravens: To get to the Super Bowl, the Ravens could use a home playoff game or two. To make that happen, they need to knock off the Steelers at home on Sunday.

9. Eagles: Questions on the offensive line and at linebacker could keep this team’s dreams from coming true.

10. Cowboys: Complacency in 2010 could give way to hunger in 2011. Which could carry the Cowboys farther than expected.

11. Bears: The No. 2 seed in the 2010 NFC playoff field could be heading a lot lower than this.

12. Texans: Last year, the Texans triumphantly beat the Colts in Week One. It was the 5-10 record the rest of the way that screwed things up.

13. Buccaneers: Those 10 wins in 2010 notwithstanding, failing to beat the Lions at home in December raises questions about whether this franchise is ready to succeed.

14. Lions: No team that has won eight games in three years has ever been so widely assumed to be a playoff contender.

15. Giants: With each snapped ACL, the Giants slide farther and farther into oblivion.

16. Chiefs: The departure of Charlie Weis will hurt this team more than anyone realizes.

17. Cardinals: The Kevin Kolb trade already was a success; Larry Fitzgerald has signed an extension.

18. Colts: Serious concerns regarding No. 18 justifies putting the Colts at that same position.

19. Jaguars: With more than $35 million in cap space and Luke McCown as the starting quarterback, it’s hard not to wonder whether Wayne Weaver simply wants to stuff his mattress with cash this year.

20. Raiders: That 6-0 record in the AFC West gets tested immediately on Monday night.

21. Rams: A new offense and limited opportunities to teach Sam Bradford to run it could cause the Rams to take a step backward this year.

22. Vikings: If the offense clicks quickly, the Vikings could end up much higher than this.

23. Seahawks: If/when Charlie Whitehurst becomes the starting quarterback, the Seahawks will climb the ladder.

24. Bills: I still think the Bills could swipe a playoff spot this year. But last year’s finish forces them to start from the back of the pack.

25. 49ers: With Jim Harbaugh running the show, they likely won’t be in the 20s for long.

26. Browns: See the 49ers.

27. Titans: For a team that had the same head coach for 17 years, too much is changing, too quickly.

28. Panthers: Six games against the Falcons, Saints, and Bucs will make it very hard for the Panthers to compete this year.

29. Dolphins: The owner wanted Jim Harbaugh, but settled for Tony Sparano. Sparano wanted Kyle Orton, but settled for Chad Henne. The fans want the Heat, but may have to settle for the Dolphins.

30. Broncos: The fumes of Josh McDaniels are hanging in the mile-high air like the remnants of rancid pork burrito night.

31. Redskins: Maybe Dan Snyder can get Joe Gibbs to unretire again.

32. Bengals: Every Sunday, Cedric Benson will feel like one of his assault victims.